You Have to Know Before You Know

Despite its final-act flailing, liberal western society continues searching for order. As a people, we simply aren’t wired for chaos. Which is ironic, given how certain our contemporary values make its arrival. Regardless, we have a need for structure even in the tumult. That’s why a sort of reporting etiquette has emerged in response to the West’s increasingly routine mass killings.

But before we can observe proper politesse we have to know the occasion. Otherwise we will not know whether to warn against a backlash or actively foment one. Whether this was an act of broad racial malice, or an opportunity to avoid scapegoating. Whether those lost had real human stories, or were simply flesh-toned emojis. Whether the killer was a poor reflection of his politics, or separate from those entirely. But primarily, we need to learn whether the victims were martyrs or meaningless. And the only way to know…